Arunachal panel to probe ‘illegal’ ST certs

ITANAGAR, JULY 3: The state Government has constituted a 2-member committee to inquire into the allegation of issuance of ‘false’ scheduled tribe (ST) certificates to 3 persons – Sonam Tsoma, Sonam Dolma and Pema Dolma – in Tawang district.
Chief Secretary Satya Gopal had constituted the committee through an order issued on June 29, with Divisional Commissioner (West) Gamli Padu as Chairman and West Kameng Deputy Commissioner Sonal Swaroop as the other member. The committee will submit its report to the Government.
The allegation of the ‘false’ ST certificates was raised by the All Tawang District Students’ Union (ATDSU) which claimed that Sonam Tsomu, Sonam Dolma and Pema Dolma – all Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) candidates who were recently selected in the Medical Officer (Allopathy) examination under the ST quota – were actually Tibetian refugees. Pema Tsering, the chairman of ‘Operation Clean Drive’, a movement to evict all ‘illegal’ immigrants from Tawang, had earlier said that these 3 APPSC aspirants were using false ST certificates.
“The state Government had issued a directive to the gaon burahs of Shyo village to issue ST certificates on the basis of the genealogical tree prepared on the basis of an agreement made in 1936. Accordingly, 90 families were issued ST certificates,” Tsering had said, claiming that the 3 APPSC candidates in question do not come from any of these 90 families.
ATDSU had written to APPSC seeking the immediate cancellation of their candidatures and the commission had in return directed the Tawang DC to verify these claims. (TNN)